Prefontaine Shorts: Testing phase

For Kid's Clothing Week, I did something a bit different. Instead of making clothes for my kids, I made a pattern for kids!



Last week I finished up grading my first pattern, the Prefontaine Shorts, and nervously sent it out with sewing instructions to a group of fabulous testers. I am pleased to say that for the tester's responses were favorable and most importantly the kiddos who got to wear them, love them. In fact, a few refused to take them off and others frolicked in delight. Most testers liked them so much they've made at least two pair!



While digitizing this pattern and getting it up for sale is on the top of my crafty list, I do have to finish up Anatomy and Physics, plus go on that pesky honeymoon, so the Prefontaine Shorts pattern will likely be released in June. But know I am hustling. I did not expect such an overwhelmingly positive response. I am quite excited. (You know there was dancing!)



A very special thanks to my testers! (in no particular order.)
Buzzmills

La Pantigana

Mi Rincon De Mariposas

Casa Crafty

Trapeando

a.Amelia Handmade

Melody Crochet

imagine gnats

Mi Mara Mundo

**Some of you might be wondering how you get to be a pattern tester. I always post looking for pattern testers on my Facebook page. So if you'd like to be a future tester add my page to your newsfeed. I also regularly post pictures of what I am making (including future project sneak peeks) on my Instagram. Heck, I even post things I make that you can buy. For instance, yesterday I posted pics of a fat quarter bundle I hand stamped that was up for grabs. It is long gone now, but I often do things like that. **

Hope you all are resting a bit after a crazy Kid's Clothing Week!

Rocky Raccoon Shoelace Pets

If you're in the inner most circles of craft mavens,you know what is hot and what is not. Foxes may have been super hot last year, but 2013 is the Year of the Raccoon. That's right, Raccoon is the New Black.

Disclaimer: I just make these things up. I am no where near the center of the inner workings of the craft mafia. For all I know guinea pigs may be the new black. Or it may be the year of the ferret. But if it is raccoons, you heard it here first, okay?

When our fabulous Rachael made this amazing Raccoon Template, whom I have dubbed Rocky, I was instantly in love. I hope you checked out Erin from just plain lovely who posted these adorable Raccoon Gift Tags. Today I'm going to teach you how to make Rocky Raccoon Shoelace Pets.

What you want to do is shrink the template to the right size before you print it. Sounds complicated, but it isn't. The original template is about 3 inches across. The distance between the front two lace grommets on kid's Converse All Stars (aka Chucks) is barely 2 inches. To make a Rocky Raccoon Shoelace Pet that is 1.5 inches wide, divide 1.5 by 3 which equals 50%. Open the template, click print. In the print window you should have an option that says something like "Print to ___%." Change it to 50% and you're good to go.

Cut out all your felt pieces and sew the face together onto the top raccoon piece. Omit the eye ball dots as they would be maddening to try and cut out at 50% smaller. Just make french knots for his eyeballs.

When you sew the top face to the bottom piece, start at the bottom of one ear and stitch over the head to the bottom of the other ear. Knot and clip your thread. Then start at the top of one of Rocky's cheek patches and stitch around his chin to end at the patch on the other side. This leaves a space wide enough to slip a shoe lace through.

Ta da! Rocky Raccoon Shoelace Pets! And they're the best pets too. They don't shed, poop or eat. But they might chew up your favorite shoes. Ha, Ha! Get it? Get it?

My new favorite handmade baby gift

Is there anything greater than a new baby? You tell me you're pregnant and my mind starts spinning ideas of adorable things to sew. Blankies, burp cloths, diaper bags, wipe cases, receiving blankets, sock monkeys; I've made them all. But as of right now, I think I have a new favorite New Baby Gift to make:

The Divided Basket Pattern by Anna of Noodlehead.


Seriously, how great is this basket? It is fairly easy to stitch up, you can use a handful of coordinating fat quarters and it is so super useful to new parents. I wish I had one when my kids were infants. (Heck, I need one for them still now!)

As far as pattern makers go, I have had very little issue with patterns written by Anna of Noodlehead. Her instructions are clear. She has loads of photos for each step of the pattern. Not only do most of her patterns include a few variations, but they are reasonably priced and available as an instant pdf.



I also highly recommend her Envelope Clutch Pattern. I have made quite a few (Here, and here.)

These two baskets are for a sweet baby girl and baby boy. I've filled them with my favorite new baby must haves: Target diapers, butt paste, A&D ointment, non-scented allergen free wipes and Burt's Bees baby wash.



What is your go-to new baby handmade gift?

Coffeetalk

Well, good morning! Glad you see you could make it. Really, you're surprised to see me here so early, I bet. My husband woke me up early this morning as he went to work so I've been up and atom for a while. Want some corn bread? I made it myself (with a box of Trader Joe's corn bread mix and some extra corn.) It's still quite yummy.

So, hod have you been? How was Easter last weekend? I had a great one, except for the six hour drives, but hey, it's what you do to see family. And it was really really good to see everyone.



How sweet is this little dude?!?! Don't you just want to eat up those cheeks? I so did. All weekend long. Every Dorsey couldn't wait to hold him and love on him. Jane was head over heels and Jimmy petted his head and kissed him so many times. It almost makes you want another. But then I look at my already stretched out belly and think about sleeping through the night and I change my mind fast.



This year was the first year that Jane colored Easter eggs with us. She did one, got the bug, then proceeded to color half the dozen. A girl after her mom's heart. She'll probably want to sell them on Etsy next year.



My parents and I make Pysanky Easter Eggs. It is a ax resist method. You draw a design on that you want to stay white, then color it a light color. Then wax the design you want to stay that color and then dye it the next darker color. And on and on until you are done. Then melt the wax off and ta da! The stupid Paas egg colors are terrible to work with. Any one else thing they have gotten crappier over the years. My mom has some amazing dyes for pysanky, but they render the egg inside poisonous. Technicalities.




Here is the *one* egg I got to make.

Spring Break has been nice, but I am *so* ready to go back to class. The sooner I get this done with the sooner I get to go to Hawaii on my honeymoon!

Oh! And speaking of Friday, I just got a message from Erin at Pellon that my fabulous Moxie Mustache on a Stick tutorial is up! Woot! You can download the instructions, photos and template here, for free!

Also, do swing by Go Make Shit and check out the Staple Dress I made with April Rhodes' new pattern.

Well, I better get my ass in gear. There are cheerios and milk to clean up and orders to be sewn and, oh yeah, homework to be done!

Have a great weekend and Go Make Shit!


They were kind of excited. Can you tell?

Meet Andre (the Giant)

Cassie at Elegantitus was my Covert Robin recipient. I wanted to make her something freaking awesome, but, you know, she's that kind of a girl. I wish I could remember exactly how the idea to make a Shepard Fairey inspired Andre the Giant mini quilt. But like all great ideas it just popped in. I mean, Andrea has a posse, and Cassie has a posse. I went with it.





I don't know what the name of this technique is. Or if it even has a name. I just made it up as I went and prayed it would come out as awesome as it was in my head. Print out an Andre the Giant poster on freezer paper. Cut out the bits you'd like and melt them onto your fabric. (Never iron images printed with a laser printer. Sigh.)

Cut 1/4" around your shapes. Baste the raw edges down, like hexagons, then press them. Remove basting, pin shapes in place, and hand stitch in place. After all that hand stitching, I was cursing Andre and wondering why the hell I chose to make such a complicated gift. But you know I can't just slap a plain old zipppy bag together and be happy with it.





Fuse some Fusible Fleece to your quilt top, add a backing fabric and binding then you're ready to roll. I put dowel corners in and a ribbon for hanging options.





I had tried Andre on for size, can you blame me? Then was sad I had to mail him away. Take good care of my baby, Cassie!

My husband: Covert Robin

That's right. My husband signed up to do the Covert Robin. I guess after months of watching me get Happy Mail then do silly dances about the house in excitement he decided he wanted to get in on the action. He soon realized the difficulty that comes with swapping Happy Mail; making Happy Mail for someone else. His partner did not send a blog address, but with super sleuthing he found her Pinterest boards. After weeks of pondering and procrasting he settled on an idea.



I've got to tell you, I'm quite smitten with his idea and very in love with his bee and hexi honeycomb design. I may have stamped some bar towels myself....



I'm glad I had him order lots of extra blank towels to play with! The stamps were made with craft foam glued to wood, but I think I love the bee so much I'll carve him into a linoleum blog for longevity. A plain grey tshirt and a solid burlap bag I had may have also fallen under the bee and hexi stamps too.





It was so fun to play maker with my husband. We make a good team. Tomorrow I'll introduce to you Andre and show you what I made for my Covert Robin.

It's Covert Robin Link up time! (And you have ALL month)

It's time to link up your posts about the covert robin! As your gifts arrive, take some super cute pics and link up! If you have not received you gift yet, don't disrepair, since the deadline to ship was Sunday. (And you know some of us may have forgotten that yesterday was a day the post office was not open! Hey, it happens.)


The link-up will stay open all month. By linking up, you'll be entered to win one of these ten fabulous prizes offered by my fabulous co-hosts!!

Cassie (elegantitus): vintage sheet fat quarter pack
Clara (Clover & Violet): gift certificate
Courtney (mon petit lyons): lotta scrap bag
Jane (buzzmills): handmade market tote
Jill (Made with Moxie): fat quarter bundle
Karen (Sew Well Maide): pdf patterns
Kelley (casa crafty): gift certificate
Melissa (a happy stitch): creativity pack
Rachael (imagine gnats): embroidery kit
Stephanie (The Crafty Kitty): organic zippers

Prizes will be randomly awarded, and winners will be announced on May 4. The only rule is that your post must be about the Covert Robin gift you made and/or received. Please note that you need only to link your post once, and it will appear in the link-up on each of the co-hosts' blogs.